News Archive

NEWS ARCHIVE

Meteorology Professor at St. Cloud State University Bob Weisman says we can expect another wintery mix this weekend.

Weisman says the next storm for Saturday night and Sunday is looking just as strong as our last one. It won’t have quiet as much moisture as the past one, but has the potential of producing moderate precipitation over central Minnesota, mainly between midnight Saturday night and early afternoon Sunday.

Weisman predicts the northern third of Minnesota will have the best chance at 4-8 inches of wet snowfall. In the St. Cloud area Weisman says there's a chance of small accumulation of wet snow between 1-3 inches before about 8:00 a.m. Sunday, then a changeover to sleet and rain. Temperatures will likely be cold enough at the ground for a chunk of Sunday morning, raising the chances for significant icing before it all changes to rain during the late morning or midday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch between midnight Saturday night and early afternoon Sunday for most of central Minnesota.

You can find all of the links, including the details of the watch, road conditions, how far we are from a record snowy April (or even winter) here.

Public Safety at St. Cloud State University has announced day and evening classes are cancelled immediately for today (Thursday, April 11) because of worsening weather conditions and transportation concerns. University offices remain open the university is not closing.

In the interest of the safety and well-being of our campus community, the university urges employees to use their good judgment in making personal decisions about work and travel needs in consultation with supervisors, using appropriate leave processes as necessary.

Almost eight inches of heavy wet snow fell on St. Cloud State University according to SCSU Meteorology Professor Bob Weisman. Weisman reported that the 7.8 inches of snow fell in about five hours this morning.

Weisman says we could see up to two more inches of snow between now and tomorrow. The current temperatures will allow for some of the snow to melt today, but he reports that most of the snow will stick around until at least Saturday.

Weisman also warns that temperatures tonight in the 20s will cause surfaces to become icy for the morning commute.

According to Weisman, Friday night and into Saturday should be dry but we could see more precipitation starting Saturday night and into Sunday.

Many accidents were reported from MnDOT in the snow band, the Twin Cities and points south where the precipitation began as sleet and freezing rain.

Graves launched his own small business in 1979 out of a makeshift office in his basement. By 1980, he had founded the AmericanInn hotel chain. Over the past three decades, Graves has built more than a hundred businesses which in turn created thousands of private sector jobs in small towns and cities throughout Minnesota.

Graves will be speaking in Atwood on Thursday, April 11th at 3 p.m. A reception will be held prior to the event at 2:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public, and Graves is expected to announce sometime Thursday his decision to run for the House seat in Minnesota’s 6th District in 2014.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - The Democrat who narrowly lost to U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann last year is seeking a rematch.

The St. Cloud Times reports Thursday that businessman Jim Graves will run again for Congress in Minnesota's 6th District. That's the St. Cloud and northern Twin Cities-area seat that Republican Bachmann has held since 2006.

Graves is a longtime hotel company executive who founded Graves World Hospitality, a company with holdings that include the Graves 601 Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. He grew up in St. Cloud.

In 2012, Graves lost to Bachmann, of Stillwater, by about 4,300 votes in what was one of the nation's closest House races. His campaign manager told the Times he felt an "outpouring of support" from people who want him to run again.

Due to weather the Drug Take Back Day has been postponed. The event is best done outdoors and will be rescheduled before the end of the semester.

The St. Cloud Police Department is giving the SCSU community its first opportunity to get rid of students’ potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted drugs.

Students can bring their unwanted medications for disposal to the parking lot behind the Public Safety Center for free and anonymous disposal. No sharps, needles or thermometers will be accepted.

The medications can be legal or illegal and no questions will be asked. The goal of this initiative is to get rid of the medications that can lead to the possible misuse or abuse if left in the cabinet of one’s home.

This first-ever Drug Take back Day at SCSU is sponsored by the St. Cloud Police Department, the Stearns County Sheriff’s office, SCSU Health Services, U-Choose and Public Safety.

SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. (AP) - The mayor of Sauk Rapids will spend some time in jail for drunken driving.

Mayor Brad Gunderson pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated during a court appearance Tuesday afternoon. He was arrested in February after he was involved in a crash near his home. The St. Cloud Times reports Gunderson will be on probation for six years. He also must refrain from drinking and pay for garbage cans and a street sign he hit when he drove his SUV off a street and into a yard.

KSTP-TV says the mayor was sentenced to 15 days in jail and ordered to pay a $900 fine. A complaint says Gunderson had a blood alcohol level that was more than three times the legal limit for driving.

The mayor began his first term Jan. 1. Gunderson has said he won't resign.

Tuesday, April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day and the theme for this year is “Leading by Example”.

As part of this initiative, there will be a panel presentation on Advance Care Planning and Healthcare Directives in Atwood on Monday, April 15. The panel will discuss medical, legal, and patient perspectives with healthcare directive forms and other information will also be available.

According to the SCSU Meteorology Professor Bob Weisman, we will see light rain showers from mid-morning into the afternoon. However, tonight the rain will turn into freezing rain or sleet if we have any precipitation. Another storm system will move into the area on Wednesday which will produce steady wet snow.

According to Weisman, about two to four inches of slushy wet snow are possible in the overnight hours on Wednesday.

The SCSU Men’s Hockey Team are Frozen Four bound and a pep rally will be held for them on Tuesday, April 9th. The pep rally is open to the public and fans will hear from the Husky team captains and head Coach Bob Motzko.

This is the first time in SCSU history that the hockey team has made it to the Frozen Four and they will play Quinnipiac in the second semifinal on Thursday, April 11th.

The pep rally will begin at 9:45 a.m. in the Atwood Ballroom due to weather conditions.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and a state senator are calling for a state and national audit of Medicaid.

Bachmann and Sen. Sean Nienow, a Cambridge Republican, said at a Tuesday news conference that the companies handling taxpayer-funded health care plans have profited from poor oversight and payment structure while low-income Minnesotans and doctors have suffered.

A report last month showed Minnesota has overpaid health maintenance organizations like Health Partners and Medica by at least $207 million. Several doctors say they've struggled to give care to poor patients because the state's reimbursement rates are too low.

Nienow is pushing for a larger audit of Minnesota's Medicaid system and has another bill allowing the state to recoup overpaid funds.

Bachmann says the problems are widespread. She's calling for a nationwide audit.

SCSU students still have the opportunity to vote for the next Student Government Association President.

The ballot features Student Government Presidential candidates: Eric Peterson, Ian High and Mable Fale and 18 choices for senator-at-large. Students can vote only once and can do so by checking their Husky email until the deadline.

A pep rally was held Tuesday in the Atwood Memorial Center to show support for the SCSU Men's Hockey team before they headed to Pittsburgh for their first NCAA Frozen Four appearance. KVSC's Amelia Rowland has the audio story.

SCSU is inviting the campus and the community to wear red and black and Thursday to celebrate the first ever Frozen Four appearance by the Husky Hockey Team.